How to Properly Process and Steward Prophetic Words

In 2019, after an intense Echo Weekend, I was exhausted but fulfilled. We concluded by giving every attendee a prophetic word. Immediately afterward, as I drove from Waco to Dallas, I headed straight into a meeting at Gateway Church. At the time, they were hosting their annual Presbytery, a special occasion when volunteers are publicly prophesied over. Naturally, I prayed for a word, expecting God to pour into me after I had given so much at the weekend event.

I didn’t receive a word during the Sunday night service, but I rejoiced in seeing others get theirs. Nevertheless, I kept asking God to speak to me. Afterward, since Joel was on staff, we were invited to meet the prophetic leaders and some pastors. Just as we were about to leave, one of the prophets approached us, saying God had a word for me. In that moment, I knew it! I had felt that God was going to speak to me, but I wasn’t ready for what came next.

Here is an excerpt from the prophetic word:

Prophetic Word to Write

Monday, June 10, 2019

Bob Hazlett

“In many ways the Lord says, there are times when you have been accused of having too big of a mouth. Speaking up too quick or saying things too quick but the Lord is saying I am going to use your big mouth in this season to raise up a generation of women who have been told to sit down or be quiet. 

I didn’t create you to be quiet.

I didn’t create you to be soft spoken. You don’t have an off switch, or a volume button. You have one gear and that is full on. God has called you to be full on. He has called to be full on. You are a teacher, you can teach the Word but I hear the Lord say you are a preacher! You don’t be ashamed to be a preacher. You’re going to make preaching feminine again. You’re going to make preaching strong again. I feel like the last season the Lord has raised up the teaching gift in the body of Christ but He is about to breathe on the anointing to preach the Word on women. There is a new paradigm in co-pastoring and the men and the women had a voice.

Now God says I am going to give you a pen that matches your voice.

Now I am going to give you a pen that matches your voice. There is some writing in you that the Lord says this move isn’t just to get you down there to rest, this is a move to get you to sit still for a little bit so we can write together. I saw the Lord begin to release an angelic grace that an angel is going to come alongside you begin to write.

In the middle of that God has been doing something to build a platform in the last 5 years but particularly, over the last three years (hello Echo!) there have been places where you pinch yourself and think wow I don’t belong here. The Lord said I prepared the platform for you so when the proclamation comes out it has a place to go. You aren’t going to be a message without a megaphone. You are going to have a message and with that, I will give you a megaphone.” 

For some, this word would ignite excitement and confirm their passion. For me, it was terrifying. My mind flooded with excuses: “Whoa! Hold up, Lord. I am NOT a writer! You’ve got the wrong person. I’m a speaker, not a writer. Grammar isn’t my strength, and I don’t even enjoy writing. It’s boring, full of rules, and I don’t want to do it.”

But God, in His wisdom, knew my resistance and was not deterred. As I began to steward the word, my heart transformed. Since that night, I now have four steps that I use to process and steward prophetic words.

Four Steps to Process and Steward a Prophetic Word:

1. Weigh It:

Does it align with Scripture? Ask Jesus to confirm it to your spirit. If He does, no one can convince you otherwise. Also, does it resonate with your husband or leaders? Can they see this gift in you?

2. Wait on It:

Don’t force it to happen. Stewarding and striving are different. Stewarding involves doing the work without exhausting yourself. Striving leads to burnout. Do what you can behind the scenes, and trust God with the rest.

3. Watch for It:

Record the word in a place you’ll see consistently. I use my iPhone memos and transcribe it to Google Docs. Look for signs and expect it in faith. Remind God of the word He spoke over you.

4. Walk Towards It:

Steward it privately. I began by writing daily from my Bible readings, blogging, and posting on Instagram. When you steward a prophetic word, God opens doors.

Above all, trust God, take steps, and prepare yourself.

When you receive a word about a new job, take the time to prepare your resume. If the word concerns marriage, make it a priority to focus on your health and finances. For those who receive a word concerning ministry, submit yourself to God, share the word with a trusted source for prayer, and write the vision down.

God still speaks and cares about every detail of your life. He will direct your steps. If you’ve never received a prophetic word or are unsure about the prophetic, I recommend “He Still Speaks” by Tom Lane.

If you feel called to speak in any capacity, we want to support you through our community and training. Join us at The Echo Weekend to grow in confidence and never doubt yourself again!